It seems like a cruel joke: in a year when outdoor decor is really creative and inspiring, we're also experiencing the second coldest June on record in the Northwest. And not only is it cold and rainy, but it's dark. In three installments (and taking a cue from AT:Chicago), we go into the archives to indulge vicariously in the outdoor rooms and sunny salons our readers have shared with us in brighter times and places. Now up: patios.

One of our very favorite outdoor spaces has got to be Victoria's (of sfgirlbybay fame) little patio, above. It's a great example of what you can do with a small space that's not even on the ground level, much less a square inch of turf in sight.